Bookstand



s. FREEMAN 1,910,207

sooxswm Filed April 22. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 23, 1933.

s. FREEMAN 1,910,207

BOOKSTAND Filed A ri; 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A it g Patented May 23, 1933 UNETED STATES SAMUEL FREEMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

isi azoi ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF T WALLACE H.

HITCHCOCK AND ONE-HALF TO DAVID LEVOW, BOTH OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOOKSTAND Application fi1ed Apri1 22,

This invention relates to improvements in bookstands, being particularly directed to a form of bookstand applied for carrying reference books or binders enclosing reference books, which are required to be opened and used constantly, the specific field to which such bookstands are applied for use being that of telephone or index carriers, catalogues, directories, and reference books in general.

Broadly, it is an object of this invention to provide for a bookstand or mounting mechanism for reference books of the class specified, wherein any one of a series of books or binders carrying such books may be disposed in a compact structure in a manner so as to be readily selected and easily transposed from its particular section or chamber to a position where the same may be opened and retained in any desired open position, after which, when the desired information is attained, the book may be caused to return to its original position in the bookstand by merely drawing the covers together, whereupon the same drops into its original position.

Still further, it is an object of this invention to provide a bookstand formed of stamped metal in sections, of books or binders carrying books may be disposed within the respective chambers, and any one of the same may be guided from its receptacle or chamber up to a position at the top of the bookstand, whereby, when the covers or binders carrying the books are allowed to drop when the book is opened, such book is caused to rest in open position on top of the bookstand, the said book'being adapted to be returned to its initial position by the act of gravity, when and as the book is closed and covers disposed one towards the other. I

Still further, it is an object of this invention to provide for a bookstand for ref-' erence books and the like, wherein there is formed from stamped sheet metal a series of receptacles or chambers for the individual reference books, the side walls of said chambers being'ada'pted to form guideways 50 for the books in their displacement from whereby a series 1931. Serial No. 531,964.

their normal position in the receptacles to their open position on top of the bookstand, there being provided stops in the walls of the receptacles for limiting the displacement upwardly of the books, and other means be- 5 ing provided on top of the bookstand for supporting the respective covers of the book and the body of the book in conjunction with the edges of the books still retained in the receptacles in the bookstand. Still further, it is an object of this invention to provide a bookstand capable of holding a series of reference books in independent receptacles or chambers, any and all of which reference books may be successively transposed from their closed position in their receptacles to open position on top of the bookstand for reference, the said bookstand being formed of sheet metal and being bracketed or carried so that the top of the 7 same may be disposed at various angles to the user, thereby permitting any one to select the proper book contained in the stand, draw 1t from the receptacle or chamber in which it is carried towards the top and by merely opening the book when'it has reached a certain position in the stand, cause the same to be disposed in open position on the top of such stand ready for observation, the said book being returned to its original position through the force of gravity, in conjunction with manual force if desired, when and as the book is closed.

Still further, it is an object of this invention to provide for a bookstand formed preferably of sheet metal, wherein the respective elements forming the body of such bookstand are composed of separable elements, whereby, uponvariation of use of some of such elements, bookstands of varying sizes may be formed, the variable elements being adapted to form the guiding channels for the books to be contained in the bookstand, and having formed therein stop Q}: means for limiting the displacement of the books carried in the completed bookstand.

These and other advantages, capabilities, and features of the invention will appear from thesubjoined detail description of one specific embodiment therefor illustrated in 'the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation partially in section of the device.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a side elevation in section along lines 33 of Figure 1.

Figure el is a front elevation in section along lines 14 of Figure 3.

-Figure 5 is a front elevation in sec-tion along lines 5-5 of Figure 2, showing a book in its opened position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of the binder member.

F igure 7 is a perspective view partially in section of a side member forming part of the device.

Figure 8 is a front elevation of a form of the device specifically indicating a modil fied form of carrier associated therewith.

Figure 9 is a. side elevation of the modified form of structure shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a further modified form of structure of a carrier for the device.

Figure 11 is still a further modified form of carrier for the device.

Referring to the reference characters in the drawings, numeral 10 represents a stand upon which is carried the device forming thesubject matter of this invention, the said stand having a hollowed carrier portion 11 in which there is adapted to be removably disposed the casing 12 forming the bookstand.

Referring in detail to Figures 1, 2 and 7, the bcokstand is formed of stamped metal and has a base 13 in which is adapted to rest and upon which are supported the end walls 14 and 1A, and the side walls 15 and 15, the respective end walls and side walls being assembled by welding or riveting one to the other to form a separable structure, or, without departing from the scope of this invention, being formed of a unitary shaped section of sheet metal.

For the purpose of this invention, the side Walls 15 and 15 are shown as comprising strips of metal folded over upon themselves at intervals to provide loops 16., which loops extend inwardly in the same direction and permit the outer surface 17 of the side walls to be substantially in one and the same plane. The end walls 14 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, are bent at right angles at their upper extremities, at a height above that of the side walls to form fiat supporting surfaces 18, the purpose of which will be later described.

As can be seen from the disclosure herein, the bookstand may be made in various sizes by the use of the same side walls 14, but a base of different size and side walls of greater or shorter length and number of projections, 16. As shown in Figure 2, the indentations or loops 16 of the respective side walls are oppositely disposed one to the other and form framework chambers in which binders 19 carrying books 20 are adapted to be carried. As shown in detail in Figures 3 to 6 inclusive, the respective binders are metallic and formed of separable sections, the base section 21 and the two side portions 22 and 22, though it is within the province of this invention to provide for non-metallic binders of unitary or sectional formation.

A reference book 20 is adapted to be disposed within the interior of the base section 21, so that a lever 23 carried therein maybe disposed over the binding of the book over the middle section thereof, and locked as at 24, thereby to-support the book within the base. The binder covers 22 and 22 in the modification shown herein are hingedly mounted by means of pin 25 passing through covers base 21.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings, the books are adapted to be dropped into the receptacles or chambers formed by the loops or projections 16 of the side walls with each other or with the end walls 14, the respective loops or the end walls and the loops serving to provide guideways for tl e sides of the hinders, the top of each loop section 16 and the top corner of each of the walls 14 having ball or button shaped projections to provide for a smooth guide bearing for the sides of the binders. The base 13 has formed therein a series of rubber buttons 26, which serve, when contacted by the bottom of the binders carrying the books therein to absorb and cushion the shock that normally would be imposed thereto in be ing dropped. One of the side walls 15 serving as the rear of the device has stamped therefrom interiorly extending projections 27 which serve to contact the end portions of the base of the binders to limit the upward displacement thereof. The forward side wall 15 is adapted to have a stop 28 projecting in the same manner and for the same purpose as stop 27 on the rearwardly disposed side wall, but such stop is adapted to form a projecting part of a name plate 29 which is riveted or eyeletted to such side wall, said ture 28 of the wall 15, the name plate being adapted to have indicia thereon to indicate the particular reference book carried in the particular section in front of which it is disposed.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the end walls 14 have cutout portions 30 for the purpose of facilitating the grasping of the books in the end receptacles. The binders, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, have apertures 31 therein formed so that the same may be grasped for lifting the same and the book loop sections formed in the and the upper extremities of the part passing through aper-.

contained therein upwardly to a position shown in Figure 1.

As shown in the drawings, when it is desired to use any particular reference book contained in the bookstand, all that is necessary, once having ascertained. which book is to be used, is to grasp the binder carrying the same at the apertured portion 31 thereof and, drawing the book outwardly from the receptacle, the said binder and book carried therein being guided in its outward passage by the Contact with the loops 16 and the buttons 40 formed at the upper extremities of the inwardly extending loops 16 and at the upper ends of the respective end walls 14, until the book reaches the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, at which time the contacting of the projections or stops 27 and 28 against the end of the base 21 of the binders, prevent the same from further outward movement. However, at this time, by merely opening the book the weight of the sides carried on the hingedly disposed cover portions of the binder cause the book to rest on the upper surface of those binders which are in their receptacles and on the upper surface 18 of the end walls, such as the binder covers contact with. Irrespective of the page which is observed by the user, the weight of the binders carrying the reference book or the respective portions thereof, when the book is opened, sustain the binders carrying the book on top of the bookstand.

lVhen the user has finished the task involving the use of the reference book, all that is necessary to return the binder and book carried therein to its proper position in its receptacle is to merely close the book,

that is, draw the covers of the binder towards one another, and the binder carrying the book will normally, through the effect of gravity, drop into its proper receptacle, guided in this movement by the buttons 40 formed on the end walls 14: and the loops 16.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, a novel form is shown, whereby the bookstand may be supported at any desired angle to make the same readily usable. In this form of the invention the end walls ll are bored centrally thereof to form an aperture 35 bounded by a counter-sink formation in which there is adapted to be disposed the counter-sunk head of a bolt 37, which bolt passes through apertures 38 formed in the arms 39 forming the support for the bookstand; the support being fastened to any body or element such as the wall (see Figure 10), the bookstand being mounted in any desired position (see Figure 9), by tightening the wing nut 44 against the surface of the support and cooperating with the bolt.

In Figure 11 there is shown a modified form of the support for the bookstand wherein a base 40a formed of stamped metal has angularly disposed walls lland 42 interior thereof, upon which the base and side of the bookstand can rest. In this form of the invention the indicia indicating the con tents of the respective receptacle are disposed as at 43 along the front A of the casing.

Although the binders for the reference books are here shown as having slotted portions for gripping the same, it is within the province of this invention to provide for rings or handle portions for attachment to the covers to facilitate grasping the same. Further, although the disclosure herein shows a bookstand having four chambers or I;

sections, it is within the province of this invention, by substituting side walls and a base of variable size to incorporate as many chambers or sections as is desired.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bookstand of the class described, a *asing formed of sheet metal, the sides of said casing comprising metallic strips havmg inwardly bent projections integral therewith to form chambers within said casing, the said projections being adapted to form guides for the edges of the books carried therein for reciprocation.

2. In a bookstand of the class described,

a casing formed of sheet metal, the sides of said casing comprising metallic strips having inwardly bent projections integral therewith to form chambers within said casing, the said projections being adapted to forin guides for the edges of the books carried therein for reciprocation, and stops formed in said strips between the respective projections to limit the upward displacement of the books reciprocated therein.

3 In a bookstand of the class described, a casing formed of sheet metal, the sides of said casing comprising metallic strips having inwardly bent projections integral therewith to form chambers Within said casing, the said projections being adapted to form guides for the edges of the books carried therein for reciprocation, and end strips having right angularly formed sections, serving as supports for the body of any of the books carried in the casing when opened for observation.

4-. A bookstand for reference books comprising a base, endrpieces attached to the base, side pieces having spaced integral indentations and being attached to the base and the end strips, thereby to forin'sectionffs for the reception of binders, respective indentations of the side walls being adapted to serve as guides for the binders in their reciprocation within the casing, shock absorbing elements disposed on the base for contact with the ends of the binders and stops positioned in the side walls for limiting the displacement upwardly of the binders.

5. A bookstand for reference books comprising a base, end pieces attached to the base, side pieces having spaced integral indentations and being attached to the base and the end strips, thereby to form sections for the reception of binders, respective in dentations of the side walls being adapted to serve as guides for the binders in their reciprocation within the casing, shock ab sorbing elements disposed on the base for contact with the ends of the binders and stops positioned in the side walls for limiting the displacement upwardly of the binders, the end walls havin right angular projections serving as supports for the body of the binder when the covers thereof are opened, upon the displacement of said binders to the extreme top of said casing, for perusal.

6. A bookstand for reference books comprising a casing having a series of chambers therein, means for mounting the casing for disposal at any angle, binders carrying reference books reciprocable within said chambers, indentations formed integral with and in spaced relationship along the side walls of said casing for determining the sizes of the chambers and for guiding the binders in their displacement.

7. A bookstand for reference books comprising a casing having a series of chambers therein, means for mounting the casing for disposal at any angle, binders carrying reference books reciprocable within said chambers, indentations formed integral with and in spaced relationship along the side walls of said casing for determining the sizes of the chambers and for guiding the binders in their displacement, and means on said side walls for limiting the upward and outward displacement of the binders from said chambers.

8. A bookstand for reference books con1- prising a casing having a series oi chambers therein, means for mounting the casing for disposal at any angle, binders carrying reference books reciprocable within said cham hers, indentations formed integral with and in spaced relationship along the side Walls of said casing for determining the sizes of the chambers and for guiding the binders in their displacement, and means on said side alls for limiting the upward and outward displacement of the binders from said chambers, angular brackets associated with the side walls of the casing, and serving as a support for the covers of the binder and the sections of the book resting thereon observation.

SAMUEL FREEMAN. 

